Ed Romaine’s victory, securing LI for the GOP, shows why New York Democrats plan to illegally rig the 24th
Ed Romaine’s landslide 57%-43% victory Tuesday over Democrat David Calone for Suffolk County Executive confirms Long Island’s return to its historic political norm: The GOP now holds every county seat in Suffolk . and Nassau, in addition to the four House seats.
That spells big trouble for New York Democrats who hope to regain House seats next year after losing them in 2022 and thus giving the GOP a (narrow) majority.
Which also explains why Democrats have been desperately moving to manipulate New York’s voting maps, violating the state Constitution and snubbing voters in the process.
Republicans dominated Long Island for years, but lost their control starting in the 1990s after several corruption scandals (and general misrule) soured voters.
But now they appear to have gone further: Suffolk’s Lee Zeldin nearly won the governorship last year, coming closer than any Republican in decades.
The GOP also picked up two LI congressional seats that night and won elections for Nassau County executive and district attorney in both counties the previous year.
“For now, Long Island is defiantly returning to its red roots,” observes Lawrence Levy, dean of the National Center for Suburban Studies at Hofstra University.
The political climate has also pushed LI voters to the right: unlike other states, abortion rights are not at risk in New York, but crime, the immigration crisis, and inflation have people angry here.
Long Island’s large Jewish population may now also be wary of Democrats, who have divided over Israel and anti-Semitism at a time when Jews and Israel face their worst crisis in decades.
Democrats will face even more electoral pressure, especially outside of Manhattan, with congestion pricing looming over motorists entering the borough’s business district.
Unfortunately, rather than bow to voters’ concerns, Democrats have resorted to political trickery: Packing the state’s highest court with sympathetic judges they hope will be given another chance to manipulate the laws.
Despite clear constitutional language prohibiting it and overwhelming voter opposition.
Last year, the Court of Appeals (whose members were all elected by Democratic governors!) overturned Democratic gerrymandering; An independent expert then extracted fair maps that led Republicans to flip four House seats.
Democrats believe they will get their way this time and regain seats next year.
Only time will tell whether voters’ shift to the right – on Long Island and across the state – overcomes the deception.
